dĩ hoà vi quý
Making peace is treasured.
Tiếng Việt · Sài Gòn & the South 1901
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Where will you be? Anywhere Hà Nội & the NorthHuế / Đà Nẵng & the CenterSài Gòn & the SouthOnline slang Bắc ↔ Nam words
Sayings you’ll hear in the South — distinctly Southern usage first, then nationwide staples.
dĩ độc trị độc
"The best way to deal with an opponent is to fight back with similair weapons or tactics.".
dạ, cảm ơn
Yes, please.
dạo này thế nào?
How’s it going lately?
dằn túi
to save some money just in case one may need it.
dể được, dể mất
"Things that are easily acquired, especially money, are just as easily lost or spent.".
dệt gấm thêu hoa
to embellish; to embroider
dốt đặc cán mai
thick as a brick
dục tốc bất đạt
English equivalentː Haste makes waste.
dự báo thời tiết hôm nay hoặc ngày mai thế nào?
What’s the weather forecast for today or tomorrow?
em iu
Texting-cute spelling of “em yêu” — darling (to a woman), keyboard-softened.
em yêu anh
I love you (woman to man)
ga đến và ga đi
arrivals and departures
GATO
Jealous of someone else’s success or good fortune — envious hating.
ghi xương khắc cốt
to never forget; to be etched in one's memory
ghét cay ghét đắng
to have an extreme and utter hatred
ghế an toàn cho trẻ em
child safety seat
giang sơn dễ đổi, bản tính khó dời
changing a country's borders is easy, but changing a person's character is hard
giao bóng ăn điểm trực tiếp
ace; a serve won directly without being returned
gieo gió gặp bão
What you reap shall reap.
gieo gió gặt bão
We reap as we sow.
gieo nhân nào gặt quả nấy
you reap what you sow
già chơi trống bỏi
an old man playing the trống bỏi (a Vietnamese clapper drum toy played by children)
già đòn non lẽ
to use force to coerce someone into submission is better than to use reason
giàu vì bạn, sang vì vợ
men tend to act rich to their friends, classy to their wives
giá bao gồm hai bữa ăn
a rate that includes two meals
giáng sinh vui vẻ
Merry Christmas
Giêsu Maria
Expletive, used to add emphasis.
gió chiều nào theo chiều ấy
to follow whichever way the wind is blowing
gió táp mưa sa
continuous difficulties and disaster
giường nằm mềm hoặc giường nằm cứng
soft or hard sleeper berth
giấu như mèo giấu cứt
to put a lot of effort into hiding something bad
giấy ghi chú có keo dán
sticky notes
giấy trắng mực đen
in black and white
giận cá chém thớt
to take out one's anger on someone who was not at fault
giận hóa mất khôn
Hatred is as blind as love.
giết gà dùng dao mổ trâu
use a sledgehammer to crack a nut
giỏ đựng quần áo bẩn
laundry basket
giống nhau như đúc
like two peas in a pod
giữa đường đứt gánh
to give up halfway through a task; (of love) to be unfinished
GTVT
initialism of giao thông vận tải (“traffic and transport”)
gái bán hoa
working girl; female prostitute; literally "flower-selling girl"
gánh team
To carry the team — doing everyone’s share while teammates spectate.
gây tê ngoài màng cứng
to administer an epidural; epidural anesthesia
gét gô
Bring it on.
gót chân A-sin
Achilles heel; weakness
gương vỡ lại lành
a situation where a couple reunites after their break-up or divorce
gạn đục khơi trong
separate the wheat from the chaff
gấu bự
Big bear — an extra-sized (or extra-beloved) boyfriend/girlfriend; “gấu” is the classic slang for one’s S.O.
gần chùa gọi bụt bằng anh
to treat somebody, especially a superior, overly casually due to familiarity
gần mực thì đen, gần đèn thì sáng
You take on the character of the company you keep — bad company corrupts, good company uplifts.
gần đất xa trời
to have one foot in the grave; to be dying; to be close to death
gậy ông đập lưng ông
Close to the English saying: “Hoist with his own petard.”.
gắp lửa bỏ tay người
to pass the buck; to weasel out; to slander
gắt như mắm tôm
easily irritable
gọi đồ ăn, đồ uống
to order food and drinks
gừng càng già càng cay
the older a person is, the wiser they are; a person is more and more experienced as they age
gửi trứng cho ác
to hand or entrust one's treasure to a feigning baddie
hai bàn tay trắng
two empty hands
hai người đàn bà và một con vịt thành cái chợ
women are typically loud, talkative, prone to nagging and gossiping